Family bonds inspire Wind Charmer clothing
To say that Wind Charmer clothing is a family affair would be an understatement. Three Meeks brothers from Vestavia Hills married women with different talents and now have eight daughters among them, ranging from ages 1 to 10. The family recently launched their online children’s clothing boutique.
The families live in the greater Birmingham area, two in Vestavia Hills and one in Chelsea. Mary Beth, the designer, lives in Chelsea with her husband and three daughters. The Vestavia residents are Jamie, who oversees marketing and has three daughters, and Sandi, who handles the finances and has two girls of her own.
The company started out as just an idea, then quickly evolved into a family business.
“It was really just our genuine love for our family and the connectivity we have with trying to raise this bounty of girls together,” Sandi said. “As sisters-in-law, we would talk about clothes, and ask each other what the girls would be wearing for Christmas, and have you seen this collection?”
Once the ladies combined their talents and backgrounds, they fit together like a puzzle. They were the perfect combination to design, manage and market a business.
The inspiration for the line came from Mary Beth, who grew up in Jasper. Her styles came from her love of the outdoors and her Southern roots. She had started a book of drawings, and when she showed it to her sisters-in-law, they were blown away.
“I want these dresses to emphasize the child’s beauty, not distract from it,” said Mary Beth. “I want them to be able to look back at these dresses and remember the special things they were doing when they were being worn.”
The three started researching what it would take to build a company. The idea was born in February and launched just seven months later. The fall 2015 line debuted in September and features seven different styles for girls ages 1 to 6 years.
Three collections are planned each year: spring, summer and fall. The styles are modeled after classic and vintage designs of the past.
The dresses for the fall line, which range from $48-$58, were produced in Chicago, and the spring collection, named after the ladies’ great-grandmothers, will be made in Georgia.
Since the company started, the family has grown even closer than before. The women are in communication every day, and their kids are able to enjoy time playing together while they work. The extended family is also very involved in the business and help when needed.
“They are all involved, from watching the kids, folding dresses, picking things up or mailing things,” Sandi said. “It’s really been this amazing support group of encouragement and cheerleaders.”
The ladies took Wind Charmer to the Mt Laurel Fall Festival and the Southern Women’s Show in October, and they plan to be at the Vestavia UMC Magical Marketplace in November.
“We want people to see and touch the dresses and their quality and get a feel of them,” Jamie said. “Seeing them is when you really realize how pretty and well-made they are. We are excited about getting out in the community.”
Future plans include expanding sizes, offering a bubble in the spring line and options for coordinating sister sets.
“Right now I’d say the sky is the limit,” Jamie said. “We started off what we thought was manageable, but not saying we will limit ourselves. We are open to anything.”
To learn more, visit windcharmer.net.